Legal Definitions - impeach

To impeach generally means to formally challenge the credibility, integrity, or authenticity of someone or something. This term is primarily used in two distinct legal contexts:

First, and most commonly understood, it refers to the process of formally accusing a public official of serious misconduct or a crime. This accusation is typically made by a legislative body, initiating a formal proceeding to determine if the official should be removed from office due to a violation of public trust.

Second, in a courtroom setting, to impeach means to question or undermine the reliability or truthfulness of a witness's testimony or other evidence presented. This is done by presenting information that suggests the witness is not credible, or that the evidence is inaccurate or inauthentic.

• Example 1 (Public Official):

  After a state ethics commission uncovered evidence that a city mayor had used campaign donations for lavish personal expenses, the city council voted to impeach her. This action initiated a formal trial process to determine if the mayor should be removed from her position for misusing public trust and funds.

  This example illustrates the primary political meaning of "impeach," where a legislative body formally charges a public official with misconduct, leading to a process that could result in their removal from office.

• Example 2 (Witness Credibility):

  During a criminal trial, the defense attorney sought to impeach the prosecution's key eyewitness. The attorney presented evidence that the witness had previously been convicted of perjury, suggesting that their current testimony might not be truthful or reliable.

  This example demonstrates the evidentiary meaning of "impeach," where a party in court challenges the credibility of a witness to undermine the believability of their testimony.

• Example 3 (Evidence Authenticity):

  In a civil lawsuit concerning a property dispute, one party attempted to impeach a crucial deed presented by the opposing side. They introduced expert testimony from a forensic document examiner who concluded that the signature on the deed was a forgery, thereby challenging the document's authenticity and its validity as evidence.

  This example shows how "impeach" can also apply to challenging the authenticity or accuracy of a piece of evidence, such as a document, to question its reliability in court.